Box-nailing machine



(No Model.) 4 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

F. TOEPFER.

BOX NAILING'MAGHINE.

' Patented July 5, 1881'.

ZUL' $70155 c5 N. PETER5. mwumu n hu. Walhin (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2;

P. TOEPPER. BOX'NAILING MACHINE.

No. 243,997. Patented July 5, 1881.

INVENTOR W Q WITNESSES S W S ATTORNEY N. PETERS. Hide-Lithographer. W nhinglun, D. C.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

" F. TOEPPER.

. BOX NAILING MAGHINE. No. 243,997.

- Patented July 5, 1881.

o&

INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEY N. PETERS. Photo-Lithographer. Wnihingion. DJ:

UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

FRANK TOEPFER, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN BOX-NAILING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 243,997, dated July 5, 1881.

Application filed April 16, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK TOEPFER, of Milwaukee, in the countyof Milwaukee, and in the State of l'Visconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Nailing the Parts of Boxes together; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a machine for securing boxes together, the peculiarities of which willbe more fully hereinafter set forth.

' Its object is to provide mechanical means whereby boxes of various sizes and shapes may be rapidly and conveniently nailed together in their several parts, and is so arranged that a number of nails can be driven at a single operation. 1

In the accompanying drawings like letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts, in which Figure l is a perspective view of my machine complete; Fig. 2, a plan view thereof; Fig. 3, a side elevation; Fig. 4, a longitudinal vertical section through about the center of the machine; Fig. 5, a like view with the lower framework removed, showing the tilting or adj ustable position of the table or top raised at one end; Fig. 6, a transverse vertical section on a level with the shaft 0, looking toward the rear. of the machine, with some of the parts re-' imoved; Fig. 7, a vertical cross-section. of the table, showing the base-pieces of the hoppers and how they are connected therewith. Fig. Sis also a transverse vertical section of the machine on a'line with the shaft 0, in which some of the parts are also removed; Fig. 9, a

. cross-section taken vertically through thefront of the table and-the clamp to, showing the connection of the two. Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the hopper proper; Fig. 11, a vertical cross-section of the clamp to, showing the slides L and guides or ways I in elevation; Fig. 12, a plan view of one of the slides L; and Fig. 13, an end elevation of the shaft 0, showing the ratchet c and a retaining pawl or detent, y,

the functions of which will be hereinafter more particularly pointed out.

A represents the frame of my machine, constructed of suitable material, and consisting principally of two legs or standards having two feet each. Upon these legs is firmly secured at table, B, the rear portion of which is cut out, forming an opening of suitable size to receive a part, B. The front end of this section B is supported upon eccentrics c on a transverse shaft, 0, located beneath the said section, and secured in suitable bearings attached to the under side of the edges of the portion of the table indicated by B, while the rear end thereof is sustained by a cross-shaft, G, bymeans ofcleats or blocks d, strung on this shaft and bolted fast to this section, the shaft itself being supported on the stationary section B in blocks d. y

The table B is provided with a clamp, a, near the forward end, for bracing the article while being nailed; The lower side of this clamp a, has serrated extensions a extending through slots 1) in the table B, and engaging with corresponding serrationsin the slides L, the latter fitting in ways I secured to the under side of table B. This clamp a is connected and secured with these slides L by the use of a bolt, i, and a lever-nut, t", which, together with the serrations alluded to, make a firm connection.

The clamp is thus made adjustable to and fro on the table B, to suit the character and size of the box to be nailed, independently of the movement of the slides L. This clamp is also provided with an apron or facing, a, against which the box directly bears during the operation, the said facing'being hinged to the clamp by links and eyes a. y

In the section or portion of the table indicated by B, nearits forward or adjacent side to section B, is a slot, f, extending nearly across the same, fitting withinwhichslot are the shanks 0 of the bases 0 of the hoppers 0. These shanks 0 extend downwardly a suitable distance, and are provided with a screw-thread carrying nuts 1;. Around these shanks are placed spiral-springs p, which are brought to bear upon the under side of section B by adjusting the nuts 10, thus securing the-hopperbase 0 firmly down to the top of the table or section B, and yet permitting of theirlateral adjustment to suit the size of the box'or the dissectlon B, havin g 1ts bearings 1n reciprocatin g hopper or inclined trough, 0, into which the nails are fed, their points being placed downward and their shanks hanging vertically between the inner walls of the sides of these hoppers. In this position the nails slide down, with their heads resting on the upper edges of the hoppers, till the first or lower one comesin contact with the bladej. On the withdrawal of this blade j from the hopper-walls by the means hereinafter to be named one nail is allowed to pass down till it reaches the other blade, 9'. This being withdrawn in its turn, the first or adjacent nail is allowed to pass, and the other or first-named blade, j, then returns to its place, shutting off the descent of the next nail. The nail thathas thus been allowed to go by the blades continues on down in the hopper till it reaches the terminating tube Q, which delivers it into a receiver, 1, of the hopper-base O,it s head falling toward the drivers.

The blades j j are connected, respectively, to the upper and lower ends of a lever, 70, pivoted to a portion of the hopper by a stud, k.

To the lowerend of the lever is flexibly secured a slotted link, M, adjustably held to the driver-head E by a stud-pin, m. When motion is imparted to the driver-heads E by the means hereinafter mentioned the link M oscillates the lever k on its supporting-stud k, and thus the blades jj are worked alternately in and out transversely through the hopper O for discharging the nails, as previously stated.

It will be observed that the travel of the driver-head E is greater than that required to be given to the blades jj; hence the link M is provided with a slot in which the stud-pin m is allowed to work. When the driver-head has nearly completed its forward stroke the studpin m touches the forward end of the slot in the link M, driving the blade j into the hopper, arresting the nails, while at the same time the blade 9' is withdrawn. When the driverhead returns back toward its normal position, and has nearly reached there, the stud-pin touches the other end of the slotand, reversing the operation just described, withdraws .the blade j from the hopper, allowing the adjacent nail to escape, the blade j retaining the others.

This part of my invention is substantially shown and described in my Letters Patent No. 181,37 6, granted to me August 22, 1876, it being but slightly varied therefrom in the present instance.

E represents a shaft lying across the tablejournal-boxes E, sliding in ways 0 located on and secured to the said section B. On this shaft are placed the driver-heads E, before mentioned, corresponding in number to the hoppers O, which heads are provided with setscrews n for securin g them in the proper place on the shaft E. These heads E are also provided with drivers 8, the latter working in the hopper-base 0 through the nail-receiver r, their functions being to force the nails into the box. These drivers are made of any suitable material, preferably of steel. In the rear of this shaft E is located, in journal-boxes d, secured to the section B, the operating-shaft 0. Near each end of this shaft 0, and on the same, are secured arms D D, which are fitted to bear against and operate the slidingboxes E E, rotary motion being applied to the shaft 0 through the medium of a loose pulley, P. Onto or forming a part of the hub of this loose pulley P is a clutch, l, and rigidly secured on the shaft 0 is also another and corresponding clutch, 1, adapted to receive and engage with the former.-

Oonnecting with the clutch l is a bell-crank lever, K, adapted to throw it in and out of gear with the clutch l, as will hereinafter be explained.

The under sides of the reciprocating j ournalboxes E E are recessed to receive one arm of the bell-crank leversF F, hung on a suitable cross-shaft, m, fitted in brackets a secured to the under side of section B, while the other ends of these levers F F are connected with retracting coil-springsf, the lower ends of the latter being secured to the frame in any convenient manner. When the rotation of the shaft 0 causes the cams D to force the blocks E forward, they are brought back to their normal position by the backward movement of the upper ends of the levers F under the contracting tendency of these springs f, which have been extended by the advance of the blocks E E.

The letter at indicates a shaft across the rear of the machine, near the floor, connected to the legs of the same, and on this shaft is pivoted the actuating-treadle G.

Some distance from the fulcrum m is loosely bolted the link G3 the upper end whereof terminates in suitable hooks for connecting with the supporting-springs G G, the upper extremities of the latter being attached to the under side of the table or the inside of the legs in any convenient and suitable manner. These springs serve as supports for the free end of the treadle G, and to bring it back to the desired position after its depression by the operator in the operation of the machine, as will be presently mentioned.

1 indicates a pitman, bolted loosely to the treadle G, for connecting the same with one arm of the bell-crank lever K, fulcrumed at W, the other arm whereof fits into a groove in the clutch L, by which arrangement the clutches ll are made to gear by a depression of the free end of the treadle G.

h is also a pitman, bolted or pivoted to the treadle G loosely, the upper end whereof connects with the rear arm of another bell-crank lever, H, swinging or working on a transverse shaft, H, suitably journaled to the forward standards of the legs of the frame of my machine. The upper or other arm of the cranklever H terminates in a slightly-enlarged head, which is adapted to fit in a recess or hole in about the center of the slides L. When the treadle G is pressed downwardly the rear end i of crank-lever H lowers and the upper end recedes from the operator and carries with it the slides L and clamp a, for the purpose of binding the latter against the box to be nailed. The tilting adjustment of the section B of the table provides for the driving of the nails in different horizontal planes, and it is held at the proper position by the shaft 0, on which the supporting-eccentrics c are secured, being retained where set by the ratchet c on the said shaft, and the pawl y engaging therewith.

My invention will be fully understood from the description of the operation furnished in connection with the foregoing statement of its construction.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine for nailing boxes, the combination of the stationary section B of the table, having aclampiug device, a, with the tilting section B, carrying the hoppers O, and the nail-driving mechanism, substantially as herein set forth.

2. In a machine for nailing boxes, the combination, with the table-section B, of a reciprocating clamp, at, having an apron, a, the guides L, ways l and the clamp-operating mechanism H G, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a machine for nailing boxes together,

the combination, with the table B, of a reciprocating clamp, a, having serrated extensions a and the slides L, having corresponding and meshing serrations, the two being secured together, as herein described and set forth.

4. The combination, in a machine for nailing boxes, with an adjustable tilting table-section, B, and the nail-driving mechanism, of an operating-shaft, 0, having actuating-cams D D, substantially as herein described.

5. The combination, in a machine for nailing boxes together, of the hoppers O, driver-heads E, having drivers 8, the reciprocating shaft E, and the driver-blocks E, substantially as arranged and described, and for the purposes set forth.

6. In a box-nailing machine, a tilting tablesection, B, connected to and supported at one end by the operating-shaft O and at the other by a transverse shaft carrying eccentrics, in combination with a ratchet and pawl, by which the eccentrics are secured in position to hold the table-section at the desired angle, as set forth.

In testimony that Iclaim the foregoingI have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of February, 1881.

FRANK TOEPFER.

Witnesses:

S. S. STOUT, EDWARD J. NEIL. 

